Home
by Penelope Jadewing
Summary: It's Konoha Soritsu - the celebration of the Founding of the Leaf Village. Sasuke hasn't been home in seven years, and it's been far too long since he last saw his wife... SasuSaku. KakashixOC. Long oneshot for Independence Day. May we remember why we're free.


**Home**

 **Date Posted: 7/4/16**

 **Word Count: 7622**

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 **WARNING: !Spoilers Ahead!  
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Seven years.

Seven long years, and he hadn't stepped foot in Konoha since the birth of his first child. A daughter… a beautiful little girl with charcoal eyes far too warm to be his own. No, they reminded him of his brother…

Sasuke wondered what Sarada looked like now. How had she grown? Did she resemble her mother… or him?

She would be an unfortunate girl indeed if the latter proved to be true…

 _That's a pessimistic thought, isn't it…_ He sighed, and opened his eyes again to stare up at the looming green gates before him. They stood open, welcoming to any approacher just as they always were. Though, already, he spotted progress in the streets beyond—lighted signs, paved sidewalks, a broadcast screen looming high over a street corner between where he stood and the Hokage tower. From what he could see, the screen flashed an image of a woman with silky blonde hair that billowed in slow motion like waves, followed by a slow motion spin shot of a bottle of shampoo. The brand Sakura used.

Sasuke smiled. Then he wondered when it had become habit to do so when he thought of her name.

"Well, I'll be…" said a familiar—but only vaguely—voice from his left.

Sasuke jerked his hooded gaze from the distant screen to the guardhouse that stood so solitary behind the gate. Two familiar faces peered at him from beneath its awning—another new addition, though it made the small hut look more like a tourist center than a military checkpoint.

Had the village progressed so far?

Kotetsu let out a low whistle, and a crooked grin spread across his face, deepening the age lines that streaked his cheeks. When had he gotten those?

 _Right. Seven years…_

"Sasuke," Izumo, ever-present at his best friend's side, greeted with a matching smile. "Sasuke Uchiha! Is that really you?"

 _Well, if you know any other Uchihas…_ "Yes," he said, his face retaining its neutrality despite his inward satisfaction. They had recognized him immediately. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. "It is."

"What brings you to town?" Kotetsu stood and ducked out from behind the counter to step into the midmorning sunlight. The light cast stark shadows across his middle-aged face. Time truly had passed, said the creases in his skin, under his eyes. "It's been ages! What, five? Six years?"

"Seven," Sasuke said at the same time that Izumo answered the same. The latter laughed. Sasuke didn't.

"Seven years!" Kotetsu, rubbing the back of his neck, shook his head ruefully. "Where does the time go?"

"Are you here for the festival?" Izumo asked, his smile much more pleasant than the wolfish one his counterpart flashed.

Sasuke nodded slowly.

Today was Konoha Soritsu. The celebration of the Founding of the Leaf Village. Now a national holiday, as he understood it.

"Well, you're in for a real treat!" Izumo braced his jaw on his weathered palm, looking rather wistful. "The party's only gotten more elaborate since the last time you were here. There's a parade now, and a flea market in the southern district. Oh, and I heard that the Hokage will be unveiling some new monument, across the river from the Memorial."

"Yeah, nobody's been allowed back there for weeks!" Kotetsu laughed.

Sasuke stared. They were talking so casually with him… He didn't know if he'd ever get used to how… forgiving Leaf shinobi could be. It was truly a marvel.

"Thanks for the greeting…" he said, cutting Kotetsu off from whatever it was he was babbling about. "But if you don't mind…"

"Don't mind Kotetsu," said Izumo with a jovial wave, while Kotetsu just sputtered in objection. "Feel free to just walk away when he starts rambling. Go on; go see your wife."

Sasuke hid what he could behind the bangs he'd managed to grow to hide his Rinnegan, and just hoped they were enough to cover the heat he could feel creeping into his face. He hadn't wanted to be _that_ obvious.

"Ahhh, right." Kotetsu winked. "Won't she be thrilled to see you back!"

With a curt nod, Sasuke stepped over the village threshold… and came home.

The village awaited him with proverbial arms wide open. He left the guardhouse behind, and found himself on familiar streets that weren't so familiar anymore.

The old dango shop, the one that Kakashi-sensei's generation had so adored, had shut down or been moved. In its place stood an antiques store. The open front had been converted into a broad, storefront window that displayed wares from far and wide—he recognized two dart blowers from the Hidden Mist, a child's puppet from the Sand, and a case of Lightning-worn kunai. A large sign stood outside, as well as pasted on the window glass, declaring 'Soritsu Sales!' to passersby.

There, where a solitary kiosk had once sold kabuki masks and costumes, now a permanent booth offered electronic repairs and upgrades. Glass and retractable bars seemed the attempt at security. Or would have, until Sasuke noticed that the entire block beyond it had been turned into a great mall, with shops on either side and kiosk after kiosk lining the center. Strings of lanterns and pennants crisscrossed over it all on thin, well-secured wires. The whole thing had an iron gate surrounding it, which he guessed closed at night and was kept sealed against civilian and ninja alike that might have thought to get mischievous.

And then there were the distracting advertisement screens… Upon closer inspection, Sasuke found at least three at the same intersection he had observed from afar. Who knew how many more had cropped up since his last visit? All of them flashed ads for this service and that product, attempting to regale anyone who was foolish enough to stop and listen with wondrous testimonials spoken by paid actors.

He paused when he saw a familiar head of silver hair appear on the screen. His footsteps halted. Overhead, mounted on the corner above a bank and an ice cream shop, what looked like Kakashi-sensei stood in a torrential downpour.

Sasuke looked closer. Something in the face wasn't right…

It was an actor. An actor portraying his old sensei.

The very idea brought a wry smirk to Sasuke's face.

The trailer went on, flashing the dramatic phrase 'Before the legend…' in gleaming silver text before blurring not-Kakashi's masked face into darkness. Then a light blossomed from the center, from which then sprinted a small boy with the same silver fringe and ridiculous mask.

 _Did he ever_ not _wear it?_

The boy ran and laughed and leapt into the waiting arms of a man with equally light hair, tied in a long tail.

'There was the boy,' said the next line of text. Then, with a rumble of drums like a distant peal of thunder, a date flashed across the screen—a date that was only six weeks away. A group of young boys standing on the street corner, also watching, gave squeals and shouts of excitement.

Sasuke shook his head. A teaser trailer, for a film about his sensei's origins… "Well, that's that. I've seen it all now… Might as well stop this quest of mine."

But he had no intention of following through with that statement.

On he went, pausing now and then to stare and wonder at the subtle changes that had been made in his absence. Larger buildings, newer signs, fresher paint. Familiar, but not.

So busy… Unease raised the hair on his neck and arms. People kept glancing at him… He needed to get away from the commercial areas.

Through the bustling streets, which were thick with crowds on such an occasion as this, he managed to find his way to the residential area to the south of Main Street. Instantly, the crowds thinned and the air grew stiller… more peaceful. More inviting. The houses became more recognizable. They hadn't changed as much as the business district had. This was a welcome realization.

He counted the blocks, and mentally recited every right or left turn that he knew would take him to a familiar apartment complex not two blocks from the hospital.

Sakura had chosen it, for multiple reasons. One, of course, because of its closeness to her workplace. Two, the apartments were classy and roomy—plenty of extra space for a family.

When he came upon the sleek, modern building, he scanned the broad side for their window and found it in seconds. A bouquet of blue violets sat on the sill, behind the sheer curtains. Right where he could see them.

'Watchfulness' she had said they meant, back when she picked up the habit (prompted by Ino Yamanaka, as he later found out). 'And faithfulness. Because I'll always be here, whenever you come home.'

That's right. That was why he smiled.

She was expecting him, of course. But only because a year ago, she had traveled twenty miles just to meet him in a nearby village when she heard he would be passing by.

What a night that had been… The blush returned despite the utter ridiculousness of it, and he shook his head to rid himself of its warmth.

He hurried to enter through the complex's main gate, giving a nod to the security guard who sat in the tiny gatehouse. The woman was writhing in what looked like excitement at the sight of him. She pointed to the upper floor, where his apartment waited, and nodded emphatically.

Sakura was home. Good.

He would never admit out loud just how much he missed her.

He was trying to rebuild his reputation, after all.

He entered one of the lobbies and took the nearest set of stairs two at a time. Up, up, up he went until his feet passed from concrete steps to hardwood flooring that marked the hallway that ran the inside perimeter of both lower and upper floors. Ten paces ahead and to his left, waited a red door. Simple, modern. Just waiting for him.

With a habitual glance over his shoulder, Sasuke strode to the door, gripped the knob… and opened it.

Comfortable silence, broken only by the flap of fabric and quiet humming, wafted over him.

Ah. The sound of home.

He stepped across the threshold, and closed the door behind him, just loud enough for her to hear.

Her humming stopped.

Sasuke took in the empty living room—two couches, a television, coffee table, and area rug—and then the adjoining dining room beyond, where sunlight streamed through a broad bay window over the glass table and faux leather-upholstered chairs. No Sakura. But he could feel her presence nearby.

So where-?

Movement in his peripheral, to his right. Cherry-blossom hair. Wide jade eyes and a toothy grin.

"Sasuke!" She dropped her stack of laundry and bolted for him. He barely had the time to raise his good arm to pull her in, before she launched herself into his embrace, her sturdy arms crushing his ribcage.

He smiled through the pain. Because it felt _good_. And it reminded him of warmth that, once, he had thought he would never feel again. Of days when he laughed and tackle-hugged someone else with the same vehement adoration…

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and rested his cheek against her hair, absent of its usual headband. "Hm. Miss me?"

She just squeezed harder, and made a sound that landed somewhere between whine and petulant moan. Like a happy dog. "Idiot…"

Translation: yes.

Then she gasped and released him at last. He tried to keep his hasty intake of breath subtle and silent.

"Okay," she said, her grin stretching wider, "are you ready?"

He blinked. "…Ready?"

"Yes, come here." She latched onto his hand and proceeded to drag him through the apartment, toward the hallway which would lead them to the bedrooms. This suite had two—the master, and one for Sarada.

She headed toward the master. His mind whirred to try and come up with what could have her so excited as to drag him to see it without any pretext whatsoever.

"I sent message after message, but nobody could track you down," she explained, approaching the door. "All the messenger hawks came back empty. So… I couldn't tell you."

"Tell me what?" he asked.

She put a finger to her lips, despite the fact that she had just been speaking, and then pushed the door open and entered their bedroom. It looked exactly the same as it had when he left, save for…

His eyes widened at the sight of the crib—Sarada's crib—beside the king-sized bed. The white bars surrounded the bundle within with a protective shield against the world.

The bundle had pink hair.

Sasuke swallowed, his throat suddenly thick, threatening to choke him.

This wasn't… He hadn't planned to stay long. Just enough to see Sakura… wish her a happy Soritsu… and now…

"This is Sachihiro," Sakura whispered, the fondness in those three words so wistful and adoring that there could be no doubt in their genuine truth. "Sachihiro Uchiha."

A boy. Sachihiro.

His… son.

He braced his hand on Sakura's head, pressed a kiss to her ear, and then buried his face in her hair to hide it.

"I'm sorry…" he muttered.

She didn't disturb him by trying to turn her head. "Why?"

"You couldn't reach me…"

She bumped his thigh with her knuckles, chuckling quietly. "I was disappointed at first… but we managed. Sarada asked a lot of questions, though."

"Of course she did." He paused, thinking. "…Where is she?"

"At the Academy. No classes today, but they're taking a tour of the historical sights around the village, and ending with a picnic on the bluff."

Something about the idea of meeting her, after so long… It made him, a seasoned shinobi and ex-S-rank criminal, tremble ever so slightly. To imagine him, Sasuke Uchiha, intimidated by his own child… How sad was that?

"Here." Sakura disturbed him, stepped away to draw closer to the crib. She lowered her arms inside and scooped up the tiny infant with greater practiced grace than she ever had with newborn Sarada. "Hold him. He should see his papa before he goes away again."

She knew he couldn't stay long. But she didn't complain… He hadn't the slightest idea what he had ever done to deserve her devotion. But he was grateful all the same.

Sasuke raised his arm and let his wife situate the three-month-old in its crook. Sachihiro weighed very little, compared to his older sister, who had been a hefty baby. It was as if Sarada had taken enough sturdy build for the both of them, and left this boy with little to none.

Sakura tugged the hem of the blanket away from the baby's face, revealing a pair of wide black eyes—just like an Uchiha. But the fuzz atop his head was very much his mother's. And despite having just been awakened, the babe made no sound. Not a whimper or a gurgle. Quiet.

He simply drank in the sight of Sasuke, from his hair to his neck to his eyes. And Sasuke smiled.

"Hiro," he said, glancing at Sakura with the barest hint of a smirk. "You did that on purpose."

A blush, matching her hair, flowered across her cheeks, which stretched with a bashful smile. "Heh heh, maybe…"

The phone gave a shrill wail in the next room. Sachihiro started, glancing about. Sakura jumped a little herself, and then hurried for the door. "I've got it."

While she left them, Sasuke moved to the edge of the bed and lowered himself onto it, careful not to jostle the infant in his hold. He met his son's wide eyes, and briefly wondered if he would burst into tears now that Mama was gone, as Sarada often had at the same age.

But Hiro remained silent, and simply watched. His eyes held a sober intelligence beyond his years, and under the strange intensity, Sasuke felt a wave of familiarity.

Hiro had Itachi's eyes. They were beautiful.

Sasuke would make sure they stayed that way—wide with wonder and innocence, not narrowed with feigned coldness that belied an intensely-beating heart beneath.

"Sasuke!" Sakura called, and appeared in the doorway, holding her phone against her collar. Sachihiro jumped again, sniffing. Sasuke heard a faint chuckle from the speaker, muffled by her shirt. "Oh, sorry baby…" Sakura lowered her voice. "Sasuke, it's Kakash- Oh, excuse me," She raised the receiver a little closer to her mouth, "Rokudaime-sama. He heard you were in town and wanted to talk to you, if he could."

"Does everybody know?" Sasuke stood, a hint loath to release his boy so quickly.

Sakura shook her head, a smirk twisting her mouth and a giggle building from her throat. "No, silly. Kotetsu and Izumo just went straight to Sensei to let him know you were here. Sensei told them not to spread it around."

Well, that was kind of him. Sasuke didn't really want to add to the tension of the day by publicly announcing his presence. Slowly, he nodded in acknowledgement of this new information, and when his wife reached for Sachihiro, he let her take him, and held his palm out for the phone. She placed the sleek device in his hand, and then cradled the baby against her chest.

"I'm going to feed him," she muttered just as he put the phone to his ear.

He nodded, and then addressed the man on the other end of the line. "Sensei."

" _Yo, Sasuke! Long time, no see."_

"You haven't seen me yet."

" _Technicalities. Listen, I have something to show you, if you can spare the time before you head off again. It's a project I started about two years ago. Luck would have it that you'd stumble into town just in time for its unveiling."_ Kakashi-sensei chuckled a little. _"But I know you don't like crowds, so… I thought maybe you'd like to join me at the old training grounds, and I can give you a sneak peek. How about it?"_

Sasuke glanced out the window, where the sun climbed ever closer to its noonday apex. He had truly intended to spend half of the afternoon with Sakura, before heading back out on the road. To think of taking some of that time to go see whatever this project was…

"I can be there around three o' clock," Sasuke said at last, deciding to put time with his wife ahead of his old sensei's demands.

" _Stop by the house when you're ready, and that sounds like a plan. Any particular reason why so late?"_ Kakashi's voice had taken on a suggestive tone, to which Sasuke just rolled his eyes, despite knowing full well that the man couldn't see it.

"Goodbye, Sensei," Sasuke deadpanned in farewell.

Kakashi snickered. _"See you soon, Sasuke."_

Only Sensei could make a simple goodbye sound ominous. Sasuke hung up.

Then and only then did Sasuke realize that he didn't know where Kakashi lived at this point.

Last time he bothered to ask, he knew that Sensei had his own apartment, or occasionally hung out at the Hokage mansion. He also knew that he had gotten married, and that his first child had been born not long after Sarada. But beyond that… he was terribly out of the loop.

 _Sorry, Sensei…_

He set the phone aside and flopped back onto the bed without grace. Grace could wait until he was outside again. Here, and being so tired… it was hard to care.

He closed his eyes, just for a moment, until he felt weight settle beside him, body heat pressing against his side.

He cracked his Rinnegan eye open to see. Sakura curled up against his ribs, with Sachihiro braced between their bodies, his mother's arm draped lightly over him, onto Sasuke's stomach.

Sasuke smiled, and closed his eye again.

He had at least three and a half hours to enjoy this.

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Three and a half hours passed with incredible speed when you slept half of it away.

Sasuke did just that, and when he awoke, it was to Sachihiro's fussing. Sakura woke not long after that, and tended to the baby while regaling Sasuke with stories of Sarada's success at the Academy, her work at the hospital, and even updates on Naruto and his family, Shikamaru, Sai, all of them. The Konoha Twelve had all grown up, moved on, progressed in some way, and the next generation was coming up fast behind them.

After everything they all endured, they certainly deserved it.

Soon enough, it was time for Sasuke to depart. Sakura suggested he wait until the fireworks, at the very least, once evening had come. Then he could leave. But Sasuke preferred to travel as much as possible while the sun yet shone. Easier, less troublesome. The unruly characters came out at night.

So Sasuke kissed his wife and son, got directions to Kakashi-sensei's house, and then headed off.

The sounds of the hubbub going on on main street reached his ears even at the gate of the apartment complex. Sasuke noted with chagrin that according to Sakura's directions, Sensei lived a block closer to all the hustle and bustle. Though he did take a hint of satisfaction out of the guess that the ever-sociable Hatake liked the idea less than he did. If there was one mutual sentiment Kakashi-sensei held to Sasuke, it was a dislike of crowded places. They understood each other in that respect.

He headed to the west, keeping to the residential streets so as to avoid the busier districts. Supposedly, some sort of parade was preparing to start in thirty minutes. Though why the Sixth Hokage himself would not be present, he hadn't the slightest idea.

Not that he was complaining.

It took little more than five minutes to find the new compound. He didn't know why he hadn't noticed it from the main road. It's outer walls extended halfway to Main Street, and closed off the entire block from the rest of the village, just as the walls to the other clan compounds did. Grand gates awaited to allow Sasuke entrance, and as he vaulted over the wall without knocking, he had to wonder why Kakashi-sensei would ever go for something so opulent. He had scarcely ever wanted to pay for his own ramen for heavens' sake, much less superfluous accessories.

Inside the compound, around the singular home standing there, sprawled homey landscaping that spoke of an inherent respect of traditional elements, while also demonstrating a love for the unconventional. How they managed to convey that in rock gardens, koi ponds, and maple trees, Sasuke would never know. But nothing was where he would expect it to be.

He didn't get much of a chance to ponder, either, as not a minute passed into his analysis of his surroundings, than a stampede of dogs barreled toward his ankles.

Sasuke jumped over them, and landed gracefully behind them before they even realized what had happened.

Pakkun laughed, his guttural voice hoarser with age. "Faster than ever, punk."

Sasuke glanced back to the pack. Pakkun, perched in the same place he always was atop Bull's head, offered him as much of a smile as an old pug could.

"Boss said to expect you."

Sasuke nodded. "Is he ready to go?"

"He got roped into pup-sitting while the Mistress started supper."

The Mistress. Tsuki. Kakashi-sensei's wife. With a raise of his eyebrows, the Uchiha glanced to the sky. Then to his watch. It read an early 3:09.

"Supper?" he asked.

Pakkun nodded. "They're carting it to the Memorial Grounds after the parade, where that Umino kid, Naruto, and several others are putting together a potluck of sorts. They'll wait for the fireworks there."

"I see…" Convenient, that Sensei explained most of his plans to his dogs. "And you…?"

Pakkun grinned, showing his weathered canine teeth. "We get free reign of the yard for the entire day!"

Of course. Simple dogs, simple pleasures.

Sasuke nodded, and then turned his back to them. "I'll go find Rokudaime-sama, then."

As he walked away, the dogs snickered behind him.

"Rokudaime-sama," mocked Biscuit with a wheeze of a laugh.

Sasuke followed the most well-used path he could spot to find the main door, which was situated on the far side from the main gate. He raised a hand to rap quietly on the door.

Three beats ticked by, and then the door swung inward to reveal the busty woman behind it. She took in the sight of him with hooded eyes the color of ice, and her rippling raven hair, usually long and loose, had been pulled into a taut ponytail, for once keeping it out of her face.

"Tsuki-sama," Sasuke greeted formally, with an incline of his head. He did not know the woman very well. Not like Sakura and Naruto did.

Tsuki Hatake blinked once, twice. Then her eyes widened ever so slightly—what he did know of her informed him that this lack of expression was quite normal—and she stepped away from the door, allowing him room to pass.

"Sasuke," she returned, without decorum. It was curt, but not cold. It was likely as welcoming a greet as he would get from her.

He stepped inside and glanced around, taking in his surroundings. The doorway led straight onto a raised dais, which served as the foyer, and down two steps nestled the living room, larger and more cozy than his and Sakura's. For a lazy sensei who loved his lounge time, Sasuke supposed that made sense.

A white-haired child curled up on one of the three sofas that boxed in the long coffee table—which appeared to be repurposed wine crates… curious. Creative. Probably Tsuki's doing. The child, a boy of perhaps eight years old, had his ankles tucked under him and his pale face pressed against the armrest. Red eyes stared off at nothing in particular.

Sensei's son.

Red eyes…?

"Kakashi mentioned you'd be coming." Tsuki closed the door behind him, and moved for the doorway that interrupted the off-grey wall to Sasuke's right. From there wafted a cloud of savory-smelling steam—bacon, boiled eggs, and something sweet like syrup.

Sasuke nodded in response. "The ninken said he got sidetracked."

"I told him to put Obito to sleep while I cooked." She gave a half-hearted shrug and a short sigh. "That never takes long. Make yourself at home while you wait."

 _Obito?_

Sasuke glanced at the child on the couch. That couldn't be Obito, seeing as Kakashi was nowhere to be seen and the boy, while appearing as bored as his mother, didn't seem to have any interest in napping. Not in a position like that, anyway.

Had Sensei fathered another child that Sakura failed to mention? Of course, Sasuke hadn't really bothered to ask either…

Tsuki had already disappeared into what Sasuke guessed to be the kitchen. This left him to sweep his gaze across the room in which she left him.

Beyond the living space, in an open-air style, a dining area and bar took up the far corner. The bar projected from the far wall, deep cherry wood lined with ebony, and separated the dining space from the rest of the room. A military green pot sported a bundle of red chrysanthemums at the end of the counter.

All the greys, blacks, and greens with the barest hints of red… the color scheme screamed 'Hatake'. Sasuke thought to his own apartment and frowned a little. Pinks, reds, and cyan… Very Sakura. Not much of him. Maybe he would have to contribute something next time he came home…

"You can sit down if you want," said a young voice close by.

Sasuke pulled his gaze from the interior decor to the boy on the sofa. Those strange red eyes had settled on him. Those eyes were rimmed with thick ivory lashes—where his semblance to Kakashi-sensei ended. This boy had eyes like his mother, despite their color. He also sported a beauty mark just under his mouth, to the left. How unique… Sasuke wondered which side of the family he got that from.

"You're name is Sasuke?" the boy asked, tilting his head ever so slightly.

Sasuke nodded. "It is." He stepped down from the dais and made his way to the sofa opposite the one the boy sat on.

"As in Sasuke Uchiha?"

Again, Sasuke nodded.

"Cool," said the child. "My dad tells lots of cool stories about you."

Sasuke found himself a little concerned. Who knew what Sensei had told his children about him…

"My name is Saka."

Saka Hatake. Likely an allusion to Sakumo. And the name seemed to fit in the roster quite well. S's and K's seemed popular letters in this family…

"Can I call you 'Blue'?" Saka asked next.

Sasuke blinked. "…Why?"

"'Cause your chakra's blue. Like Dad's, but darker…" Saka eyed him, those white lashes pulling low over crimson irises.

Those eyes… Could they…?

But that made no sense. The Sharingan had been biologically foreign to Kakashi-sensei's system. DNA couldn't be transferred so easily as an eye. Besides that… This did not look like a Sharingan. It had no ring, no tomoe, and the pupil was a milky white.

How strange…

"Your eyes," Sasuke countered. "They allow you to see that?"

Saka hesitated, before nodding slowly. "Yeah… That's all I _can_ see."

Sasuke frowned, cocking his head ever so slightly and opening his mouth to question.

"I'm blind," Saka cut him off.

' _That's all I_ can _see…'_ Chakra systems. Nothing else. The poor boy…

"My eyes let me see as much as possible…" Saka squinted at him. "I can see you… but you're… I don't know. You're blue. At least, what Koinu says is blue…"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Koinu?"

"My brother."

Three children? Kakashi-sensei had been busy.

But why was this other boy bothering to try and explain color to his blind brother? It seemed quite the faulty system, considering that it sounded as though Saka had nothing to compare the color 'blue' to. It meant he had likely been born blind, or had been blinded within his first two years, where his memory would be weakest at this point.

"Dad, chill," came another young voice from the stairs that ran up the wall next to the kitchen door. "Don't be so sensitive."

"I'm not sensitive," grumped Kakashi-sensei's voice in reply. They were coming closer.

"You're being sensitive, if you think that me having better luck making Obito fall asleep makes you look bad." A boy stepped into view, utterly identical to the one on the couch.

Sasuke stared. Twins. Kakashi-sensei had identical twins.

He wasn't sure what to think of that.

"Why would it make you look bad?" The boy paused to glance back at the man descending the stairs behind him.

Kakashi Hatake stepped into the living space just after his son, rubbing the back of his neck. Without his hitai-ate, his wild silver hair spilled untamed and unfettered over his forehead, hanging in his eyes. "You know more about your brother than I do. That's why."

The twin, who could only be the Koinu Saka had spoken of, snorted derisively. "As if. It's only because I get nailed with baby duty when you're at the office."

Koinu turned, and locked eyes with Sasuke. White eyebrows rose just a hair. "Dad, Uchiha-sama's here."

 _Way to state the obvious, kid._ But then, Sensei hadn't noticed yet.

The ex-Copy Ninja raised his head with an absent 'hm?' and followed his son's line of sight to settle his slate-grey eyes on Sasuke. Sasuke met them evenly.

Then the elder Hatake smiled behind his face mask, his eyes turning up in signature crescents. "Oh, hello, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Just Sasuke… Rokudaime-sama."

That title made Koinu snort and snicker, while Kakashi simply repeated that same nervous tick of his—scratching the back of his head and mussing his already unkempt hair.

"Touche…" Sensei gave a short, sheepish laugh.

"Do you really have the Rinnegan?" asked Koinu, approaching the couch with his small hands tucked in his pockets. The casual stance was so reminiscent of his father, Sasuke had to pause and wonder before he could reply.

 _Would Sachihiro inherit behavioral traits from Sakura or me? Or… are those learned habits? How would he learn anything from a father who's never home?_

"Yes, I do," the Uchiha replied. However, he felt no obligation to follow through with a session of show-and-tell. He kept the dark fringe of his hair over the left side of his face, and had no intention of moving it.

Koinu blinked slowly. "It has an awful lot of chakra around it…"

Sasuke frowned. Those red eyes… He kept forgetting. "You can see my chakra too, then."

Koinu shrugged. "Sure. Both of us have weird eyes. Nobody knows why."

Kakashi settled his hand atop the boy's head. "Okay, okay. No more pestering the nice man. How about you take your brother and go check on Kori?"

Koinu wrinkled his nose. "Is she _still_ outside?"

"Mm-hm."

The boy rolled his eyes heavenward, but stepped out from under his father's hand to approach his twin. "What if she blows something up again?"

"Then we'll fix it again." Kakashi shooed them off. Koinu helped Saka off the couch and then the twosome scampered off, the former holding tightly to the latter's hand. They went from the living room, past the dining space, and then disappeared down a hallway that likely led to the backyard.

A breath of silence lingered in their wake, before Sasuke stood and fixed his gaze on his old sensei. "Twins?"

"An anomaly, I was told," was the Hatake's reply. "Neither of us have twins in our family history, so…"

"Uh-huh. And the eyes?"

Kakashi coughed. "Another anomaly… At least, that's what the records show. I like to see it as a final gift… from Obito."

Sasuke nodded slowly. "And… 'the nice man'?"

Kakashi smiled again. "Well, I have to keep their opinions of you high, don't I?"

The older man shoved his hands into his pockets and shuffled into the kitchen. Sasuke followed to the doorway, and glanced in in time to see his sensei jump away from Tsuki, who snapped at him with a twisted dish towel. Kakashi laughed. Tsuki had turned red.

"Company," the woman seethed.

"Mah, he's married," said Sensei with a flap of his hand. "He understands."

Ah, so he'd done something deemed inappropriate in public. Sounded like something Sensei would do. Read too many questionable novels.

Tsuki just shook her head and turned back to the stove, where she continued draining the bacon grease from the frying pan into a mason jar.

Kakashi returned to her side and 'kissed' his wife's cheek, though 'nuzzle' was likely a more appropriate word, considering the mask. He trailed a hand across her lower back. "I'll be back soon, hime."

She just rolled her eyes, though her full lips quirked at the corner. "Don't do anything stupid."

"What," Kakashi-sensei moseyed backward toward the doorway in which Sasuke stood, "me? Do something stupid? Have a little faith in me, Tsuki."

"How about no?"

Kakashi clutched a hand to his chest. "So cold! So cruel."

"Don't forget it." Tsuki glared sidelong at him. "And _don't_ be late to the picnic. If I have to suffer through this, so do you."

Pausing at Sasuke's side, the Sixth Hokage gave a deep bow at his waist. "Yes, my fair lady."

Tsuki didn't even blink. "Get out."

Chortling, Kakashi hurried to do just that, while Sasuke trailed behind him and wondered where all this energy was coming from. He'd never seen his sensei so… buoyant.

He followed the silver-haired man outside, across the yard—Kakashi bid Pakkun and the other dogs a happy Soritsu in passing—and back out into the public beyond the compound walls. Music ricochetted off the buildings around them, and Sasuke could see the crowds congesting Main Street just thirty paces away, could feel the concentrated chakra of thousands of spectators.

"We have to go through that, unfortunately…" Kakashi-sensei sighed, the wind seemingly cut from his sails once they had passed outside his sanctum walls.

"We could take the rooftops," Sasuke suggested, glancing up at the nearest house.

Kakashi hummed, pondered, and then nodded. "Let's do that." In a flash, he jumped to the roof. Sasuke followed close behind, and then, they were sprinting over the village, as they had back in the days of chasing cats and playing 'infiltration'—which had only ever meant 'lets see how many traps Iruka-sensei keeps on his house'. Naruto still held the record for 'most traps sprung in a one hour period'.

Sasuke followed Kakashi to Main Street, and once they stood on its edge, the sounds of chaotic celebration made Sasuke's ears throb. The excitement pulled the air taut like a violin string, and the subsequent noise was just as loud as a new player. Children sprinted about, waving sparklers and glowsticks despite the early hour. Parents talked and laughed and told jokes and stories that all blended together in a cacophony of voices that flooded the street from end to end.

"You're the Hokage," said Sasuke, watching all the people as they strained and waited for the parade to start. "Why aren't you down there somewhere?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Mah, they have a shadow clone. Not many can tell the difference."

Sasuke frowned. "You're letting a shadow clone do your job?"

The Hatake waved him off. "Don't sound so offended. It's a lot of work, you know. Besides, I wanted to have today with my family." He sent Sasuke a narrow, knowing glance. "Is that so bad?"

Sasuke didn't reply, and that was enough. Instead, the Uchiha scanned the street below and spotted a familiar brown ponytail surrounded by dozens of smaller persons that set him apart from the crowd. Iruka-sensei. Older, subdued, but still him. Smiling at every child around him.

That made Sasuke think, and he turned back to Kakashi. "Your boys… They weren't in school."

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh… Right, well, about that…"

"They are in school, aren't they?"

"Of course they are. They… Well, we only just realized what was wrong with Saka, and he was under a lot of scrutiny for a while…" Kakashi sighed. "It got to his head… and let's just say he took it out on another particularly nosy student."

Sasuke snorted. "He got expelled for starting a fight."

"Suspended. Temporarily…"

"Right… and Koinu?"

"Jumped in to break up the fight, only for the other kid to provoke him into finishing it."

Sasuke resisted the urge to chuckle. The irony was not lost on him. As he understood it, Kakashi himself had been a model student, excelling beyond his age group. And here were his sons, one starting fights and the other finishing them. Like a little tag team of terror.

"…Who was the other kid?" Sasuke asked, curious.

"Metal Lee," Kakashi answered.

Sasuke blinked. Several thoughts made themselves known at once.

Lee had named his son 'Metal'?

Lee was married?

A Lee started a fight?

And lost?

Kakashi noticed Sasuke's lack of response and glanced to him. He snickered. "I said he was nosy, not nasty."

Sasuke choked on a laugh. "This 'provocation' he gave Koinu… Did it come in the form of sparkles?"

Kakashi dissolved into a giggle fit. He was the only man aside from Naruto that Sasuke knew could actually do that— _giggle_.

"I don't know about that," the Hatake managed. "But Koinu expressed great frustration at the repeated use of the term 'youth'."

"Can't blame him for that."

Once Kakashi got a hold of himself, the two men sprung across Main Street and continued north. Sasuke easily recognized the area as they came upon the training grounds that Team 7 had utilized time and time again. The old trees greeted them, whistling in the Konoha wind, that warm breath of the land that streamed through the branches and toyed with the glittering leaves.

Ah. Konoha. Sasuke inhaled deeply, taking in her scent. He had few opportunities to enjoy his hometown like this.

Kakashi led him through the treetops to the clearing where the Memorial Stone had stood since the Second Shinobi War, inscribed with hundreds of names, of the fallen of the Leaf. Each name, a shinobi who had given their life on the battlefield, immortalized in ageless granite that would weather the test of time and inspire generations to come.

Sasuke knew of one name that wasn't engraved there. Kakashi knew another.

A portion of the clearing, however—one that sprawled on the side opposite the Memorial—looked like it had recently been cleared out. Packed earth, trampled grass, a portion of the trees cut away. A great slab of concrete rose at the center, a concave semicircle, perhaps thirty paces long and three meters high. On its inner face, across the curve, plates of silver bolted in perfect, uniform lines on a face of sleek, black marble. The sun glinted off each and every one, making the clearing practically glow. Sasuke could see the Konoha symbol carved into each plate.

Then, at the center of the platform of cement that was the wall's foundation, there rose a singular statue of an ANBU agent, forged of brand new copper, on a pedestal of alabaster. A plaque of bronze glimmered on the pedestal's face, reading in bold letters:

 **To The**

 **UNNAMED SHINOBI**

 **Who Gave Their Lives in the Shadows**

"That's it," said Kakashi, gazing over the new monument with a somber, wistful expression in his eyes. "This is what I wanted to show you." With that, the seasoned shinobi dropped down from the tree and landed on his feet with a graceful grunt. The summer grass crackled under his shoes.

Sasuke followed after him, and the two stepped out from the shadows under the tree boughs and into the afternoon sun.

As they neared the statue, Sasuke looked closer. The portrayed ANBU wore the semblance of a mask, with pointed ears, round eyes, a perked snout and an inverted triangle across its forehead. The statue had his small hand extended out in half of the unison sign, middle and index fingers extended and beckoning peace.

Then he noticed.

The operative sported a high collared shirt, rather than the traditional body suit that most ANBU wore.

Swallowing thickly, Sasuke took three steps to the side, to glimpse the statue's back.

Long hair, tamed with a ponytail, thick and silky as a ribbon.

Kakashi-sensei hopped onto the pedestal, making himself eye-level with the statue. He formed a hasty hand sign and, with a puff, the ANBU mask loosened.

"Only a select few know about this," he said, curling his fingers along the mask's edge. "But all of us Kage agreed, and I felt it only right to give him some sort of tribute."

Sensei pulled the mask away, and Sasuke's throat tightened.

His brother, young and unweary, gazed over the clearing with warm eyes. He looked to the Memorial, as if directing his unison seal toward it—toward the village. Toward those who were remembered, on behalf of those who were not. The slightest of smiles graced his elegant face, a small thing. But it was enough to brighten the entire field.

"Itachi…"

Sasuke ducked his head to hide the heat behind his eyes.

Kakashi-sensei… had done this? For Itachi? For _him_?

Sasuke didn't understand why, but the swell in his chest said he was grateful anyway. So grateful… there were no words.

Itachi was remembered. Itachi was honored. Maybe not to everyone… but to those who mattered.

"He was my friend, you know." Kakashi dropped back to the ground, and stared up at the statue before them with sober eyes. "I only wish that… I had given him more credit when… everything happened. Instead, I doubted my own judgment, and in turn, doubted him… when he needed us most."

Sasuke dared to raise his eyes to his brother's flawless visage again. Itachi gazed on, oblivious to their guilt. His smile remained, rivaling the sun.

As it would forever more, from this day forward.

Never again would it dim with the weight of the world.

"You have nothing to feel guilty about… sensei." Sasuke coughed, clearing his throat from the lump that had formed there. "Not when I stand beside you. But Itachi… if he would forgive me… I have no doubt that he forgave you and everyone else he'd known, whether you were aware that you needed it… or not."

He took up the copper mask hanging limp in Kakashi's fingers, and when the older man relinquished his hold, Sasuke held it to face him. He stared into its gleaming surface, felt the heat of the metal under his fingers.

"And now…" Sasuke allowed himself a small smile of his own. "He will be remembered, one way or another… Him, and every other shinobi who sacrificed so that we could stand here now. So that Konoha… Konoha could grow and prosper, and be here for people like me… to come home to."

Kakashi clamped a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, and the wind whipped leaves into swirls over their heads.

* * *

 _Where leaves fall, flames burn,_

 _The shadows of the flames illuminate the village;_

 _And again, new leaves bloom._

* * *

 **A/N: Well... that was my first attempt at writing Sasuke. O.o I have no idea how I did...  
**


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